APOPS FORUM
"If we are not talking out loud about all aspects of women’s bodies, as women, we are not yet fully empowered." Sherrie Palm
The stigma of embarrassing symptoms has kept POP shrouded in silence despite being medically documented for nearly 4000 years. As we talk out loud vaginal tissue bulge, urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, or pain with intimacy (symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse), awareness will shift and POP will become common knowledge for all women.
Sherrie Palm, Founder/CEO.
June POP Awareness Month 2013.
APOPS forum is a secure, supportive space established in 2011 for women to freely discuss their personal POP concerns and compare notes on symptoms and treatments without being judged, regardless of their choices of non-surgical or surgical treatment, with or without mesh. The vision for APOPS forum is women within our support forum sharing insights with others newly diagnosed with POP in a calm, nurturing environment. Our global community includes women and practitioners within 183 countries. Our members are women from late teens through end-of-life, all races, nationalities, ethnicities, socioeconomic, and sociocultural demographics. These are women newly diagnosed with POP, women suspecting they have POP, women utilizing non-surgical treatments, women heading into surgery, women post surgery, all sharing insights in a calm, nurturing, non-judgmental space.
APOPS forum is a closed, secure Facebook based group; only members can view conversations inside. APOPS forum administrators closely screen entry requests to maintain the security of our space, which at times delays entry up to a week, so patience is appreciated. POPS is a female only forum, but we do permit male urogynecologists, gynecologists, and urologists to enable them to learn the true quality of life impact of POP to the women they treat. Marketing of medical groups, merchandise, or treatments by outside sources is strictly prohibited.
APOPS mission is to engender pelvic organ prolapse awareness, to listen to and acknowledge patient voice, to destigmatize vaginal health, to encourage and optimize vaginal health empowerment, and to clarify and quantify POP quality of life ramifications.
With the strength and tenacity women bring to the table, we will change the mindset of the world at large regarding pelvic organ prolapse from a common female health concern that gets little acknowledgement, to a widely recognized condition that is addressed via routine screening, early diagnosis for less aggressive treatment, and maintenance for continuing quality of life. With the diligence of the global community, we will advance women’s wellness awareness, screening, practice, and policy. Click on the red “APOPS FORUM” links at the top or bottom of this page to request entry and join the conversation!